Psychology Chapter 2

Front 1

Nervous system

Back 1

A communication network that conveys messages throughout the body, using electrical and chemical processes.

Front 2

Neuroscience

Back 2

The study of the brain and nervous system.

Front 3

Biological psychology

(biopsychology, psycho biology, neuropsychology, physiological psychology, behavioral neuroscience)

Back 3

The branch of psychology that focused on how the brain and other biological systems influence human behavior.

Front 4

Neurons

Back 4

The building blocks of the nervous system that transmit electrical and chemical signals in the body.

Front 5

Cell body

(soma)

Back 5

The region of the neuron that includes a nucleus containing DNA, protein-producing mechanisms, and other structures that nourish the cell.

Front 6

Dendrites

Back 6

Tiny, branchlike fibers extending from the cell body that receive information from other neurons and send information in the direction of the cell body.

Front 7

Axon

Back 7

Skinny tubelike structure of a neuron that extends from the cell body, and which sends messages to other neurons through its branch ends called the terminal buds (axon buds, synaptic knows, terminal buttons).

Front 8

Myelin sheath

Back 8

Fatty substance that insulates the axon and speeds the transmission of neutral mattress. It covers the axon in segments and the gaps between the segments are called nodes of Ranvier.

Front 9

Synapse

Back 9

The tiny gap between a terminal bud of one axon and a neighboring dendrite of the next neuron; junction between neurons where communication occurs.

Front 10

Glial cells

Back 10

Cells that support, nourish, and protect neurons; produce myelin that covers axons.

Front 11

Resting potential

Back 11

The electrical potential of a cell "at rest"; the state of a cell when it is not activated.

Front 12

Threshold potential

(stimulus threshold)

Back 12

When a neuron goes from its resting potential at -70 mV to its threshold at -55 mV which triggers an action potential.

Front 13

Action potential

(spike potential)

Back 13

The spike in electrical energy that passes through the axon of a neuron, the purpose of which is to convey information.

Front 14

All-or-none

Back 14

A neuron either fires or does not fire; action potentials are always the same strength.

Front 15

Neurotransmitters

Back 15

Chemical messengers that neurons use to communicate at the synapse.

Front 16

Receptor sites

Back 16

The location where neurotransmitters attach on the receiving side of the synaptic gap.

Front 17

Reuptake

Back 17

Process by which neurotransmitters are reabsorbed by the sending terminal bud.